A Warwick man has pleaded guilty to stealing $86,575 in jewellery and cultivating cannabis.

The theft charge dates back to October 12, 2014, when a masked man forced entry into E.R. Aubrey jewellers on Queen Street.

CCTV footage showed the culprit smashing multiple glass display cases with a flashlight before making off with 705 pieces of jewellery. However, the thief cut his hand on some smashed glass — and police later matched the blood sample from the scene with the DNA of 28-year-old Kyle Smith.

In a separate matter, officers visited Smith’s Warwick home on March 6 this year and conducted a search on an area he called his “workshop”.

During the search, they uncovered plants and seeds which were later confirmed to be cannabis. After Smith admitted both offences in Magistrates’ Court, his defence lawyer requested a Social Inquiry Report and a drug assessment.

Senior magistrate Juan Wolffe adjourned sentencing until July 20.

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